Students in Illinois will soon be able to take up to 5 mental health days
Even before the pandemic, instances of mental health crises among teens were on the rise, making classrooms a focal point for addressing mental health challenges. That’s why Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill this summer that allows students to take up to five excused mental health Read More...
Study sheds new light on the effect of screens on kids’ health and wellbeing
These days it can feel like everything we do involves screens. Work, school, and even booking a doctor’s appointment is done online, but many of us, especially those with young children, worry about the effects of extensive screen time on developing brains. A new study from the University of Read More...
Kiss your worries goodbye with these two quick exercises
These past 18 months have been unpredictable, chaotic, destabilizing… the list goes on. So, naturally, many of us are harboring a lot of worries right now. But what does worrying really do to change our situation? Nothing. Worrying simply makes us feel helpless by keeping us in a cycle of Read More...
4 ways teachers can combat back-to-school anxieties
Back-to-school season was a stressful time for teachers, even before the pandemic. Now, facing another Covid-19 surge, teachers are faced with the difficult task of stocking classrooms, imparting knowledge, and keeping children healthy and emotionally supported. If you’re a teacher, going back to Read More...
How to avoid awkward intimate interactions, according to an expert
Have you ever wondered how films achieve an air of natural intimacy when producing scenes that involve nudity or simulated sex, especially while working with actors that may not know each other well or at all? Enter the intimacy coordinator, a hired professional that works with actors and directors Read More...
Try these two simple, science-backed tricks to stop procrastinating
While many may think otherwise, procrastination is not a behavior rooted in laziness. Rather, people engage in procrastination in a bid to avoid the “negative feelings associated” with that task, explains Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Canada’s Carleton University and a Read More...
5 research-backed reasons why it’s important to have fun
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Everyone has a slightly different definition for fun, but whether you love hitting the town with friends or going for a long hike, research shows that having fun is good for your health, both mental and physical. Below, you can find five science-based reasons Read More...
How to support kids as they break out onto the post-pandemic social scene
As we reach a new phase of the pandemic, we may find ourselves struggling to re-engage with the world and return to some sort of “normal.” The adjustment from staying home, away from friends, family, and group activities, to navigating social interactions once again is anxiety-inducing for Read More...
Here are 4 simple self-care techniques to lower anxiety
At the Optimist Daily, we don’t feel the need to constantly discuss all the things going on in the world today that are causing people to feel anxious. What we do believe, however, is that we can provide some guidance and share self-care practices that can help people curb their anxiety and start Read More...
Why we’re both excited, and maybe anxious, about reopening
Publicly, most of us express frustration and boredom with quarantine. Although necessary to protect everyone’s safety, we still chat excitedly with friends about the first restaurant we will visit when things reopen. Despite the longing for companionship, it’s also normal to feel anxious about Read More...